


All along I believed I would find you

by vanjie_love



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: F/F, High School AU, Lesbian AU, Love, Soulmates, i'll add tags as i go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:35:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25167061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanjie_love/pseuds/vanjie_love
Summary: “You must be the new girl.” she in a soft voice that sounded like velvet.“How d’you know?” Vanessa retorts, her tone sharp, and she narrowed her eyes at the girl but internally, she was uneasy.“I can smell fear.” The blonde was amused.Vanessa rolled her eyes, “I’m not scared.”
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Comments: 22
Kudos: 32





	1. Vanessa

**Author's Note:**

> I have a few ideas for this story. I hope it goes well.

Vanessa was nervous. She always was when she started a new school. You’d think she’d be used to it. She had gone to four schools in the span of six years- the life of a military brat. But here she was, about to start her senior year in California, and it was as nerve-wracking as the day she started as a freshman in Utah.

After a brief breakfast that was forced upon her by her mom, Vanessa bounced out to her car. She lived close to the school, she probably could have walked, but she needed the radio to help get pumped up for the day. Pulling into a spot in the parking lot, she realized just how out of place she was going to be. Everyone looked rich and suddenly, Vanessa felt as though she couldn’t afford to be here.

People stared at her as she walked up the extravagant stairs to the school. Vanessa, however, stared at the building. 

“This is a school?” she said to herself because it sure didn’t look like it.

She shrugged her shoulders and headed through the double doors. 

Finding the office proved to be easy, but it was just as busy as the rest of the school. Vanessa felt very self-conscious. The secretary seemed to take notice and gave her a kind smile.

“Hi, honey,” she said, “I’m Mrs. Davis, is this your first day?”

Mrs. Davis’s eyes were kind and her facial expression was encouraging.

Vanessa nodded, “My name is Vanessa Mateo.” 

Mrs. Davis looked up the name in her files and pulled out what Vanessa took to be as her schedule. 

“Here you go dear, this is your schedule. If you’ll stand off to the side here, your guide will be with you shortly.”

Vanessa nodded and did as she was told. Either she was lost in thought or the girl moved very quickly and quietly, Vanessa didn’t know, but the next thing she knew there was a pretty blonde standing next to her with a smirk on her face. Actually, pretty was an understatement. This girl was too pretty for even this school. Vanessa’s mouth went dry.

“You must be the new girl.” she in a soft voice that sounded like velvet. 

“How d’you know?” Vanessa retorts, her tone sharp, and she narrowed her eyes at the girl but internally, she was uneasy.

“I can smell fear.” The blonde was amused.

Vanessa rolled her eyes, “I’m not scared.”

Her voice shook. She most definitely  _ was  _ scared, but Blondie didn’t need to know that.

“You have a name?” the blonde asked a sharply drawn brow in a perfect arch.

“Yeah, do you?” Vanessa dared to mirror her expression.

"You can call me Brooke." The blonde,  _ Brooke,  _ was smirking again, “and I’ll be your guide.”

"Vanessa." 

“Well, Vanessa,” Brooke starts, and Vanessa’s name coming out of the blonde’s mouth has her almost melting, “let’s get you to your first class, shall we?”

As it turns out, Brooke happened to have a similar schedule to Vanessa’s which, although she won’t admit it out loud, Vanessa was grateful for. She felt Brooke’s presence was calming. 

When lunchtime rolled around, Vanessa was ready to look for a quiet corner to hide somewhere in the school so she didn’t have to take on the embarrassing task of finding somewhere to sit as the new girl. She had just shut her locker and was about to ask where the library was when Brooke asked her if she was ready to go to lunch.

“Wait, you want me to sit with you?”

Brooke nodded, a mesmerizing smile spreading on her lips, which Vanessa returned. 

“Okay, yeah I’m ready then.” 

Brooke smiled even wider and linked arms with the new girl, and if one of them felt the electricity pulsing where their skin was touching, neither mentioned it.

The lunch room looked like a food court, but Vanessa had learned in the last few hours not to be surprised by anything at her new school. She followed Brooke to a table with four other people. 

“Everyone, this is Vanessa,  _ be nice _ !” Brooke was talking to all of them but gave a pointed stare to a girl across from her, who placed her hand on her chest in mock offense.

“When have I not been nice to  _ anyone _ ?” the girl said.

Brooke narrowed her eyes, “you want a list, bitch?”

“No,” the girl answered quickly, she threw her hands up in surrender, “I’ll be nice.”

Everyone at the table laughed. 

“That’s Detox.” Brooke explains, “next to her is Nina, Trixie, and that’s Kameron.” 

Vanessa smiled and nodded as they all raised their hands when their name was mentioned. 

“So  _ you’re  _ the new girl.” Kameron said as Vanessa took the seat next to her, “the buzz of the school.”

“Uh, yeah I am. People are talking about me?” 

“You’re new and you’re pretty,” Nina said with a wink, “of course they are.”

Vanessa felt her face turn red and Brooke, who was sitting next to her, sat up straight in an almost protective way. Her expression was unreadable as she stared at Nina, almost like they were having a silent conversation. Trixie, Kameron, and Detox were talking amongst themselves as though nothing weird was happening. Vanessa watched, confused, as Nina cocked her head to the side and Brooke rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips. Vanessa felt almost like she was intruding on a private moment. 

“ _ Anyways, _ ” Nina said with a pointed look at Brooke, “are you settling in alright? Is Brooke Lynn being nice to you? If she’s not, I can handle her.” 

Vanessa felt warmth in her heart when asked this. Nina must be the mom of the group.

“Yes, I am. I’m kind of a pro at this whole new school thing.” Vanessa shrugged, “four schools in six years will do that to ya.”

Nina’s eyes widened, but Brooke just nodded.

“Yeah, I know how that is,” she said, "I've moved around quite frequently in my past too."

_ So that’s why she’s being so nice,  _ Vanessa thought to herself,  _ she’s been in my shoes.  _

Vanessa glanced at Nina, who had a knowing smirk painted across her lips. Vanessa felt like there was a whole story that she didn’t see, but she shrugged it off, maybe she’ll be let in on the secret someday.

Once the bell rang for lunch to be over, Brooke led Vanessa to their biology class. Vanessa introduced herself to the teacher and took her seat next to Brooke at the back of the class. 

Vanessa’s biology class could only be described as pure torture. The teacher was monotone and boring like ones you see in the movies and he was droning on and on about the classroom rules. She was never one for any type of science, and this was no exception. It did, however, help that Brooke kept making silly comments to her under her breath. 

Vanessa was going to like it here. There was just something about it, something about Brooke, that made her feel like she belonged here. She felt like she  _ knew  _ Brooke like they were old friends or something. It was a strange feeling, but maybe this was where she belonged.


	2. Brooke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So you’re really sure?” Nina asked out of the blue in the car on the way home.
> 
> “Nina, you never saw her, but I need you to believe me. It’s her. I’ll see if there’s a photo of her in the attic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this sheds more light on what's happening.   
> Thank you to rvclary for beta-ing this chapter and the first chapter. 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @/vanjiestoes

_ Today was the day. Brooke could feel it. She had felt it all week. Brooke’s soul was telling her- she was here. This was the day she’s waited years for. _

She could spot her from a mile away, feel the fear radiating from her. She slipped up next to her quietly.

“You must be the new girl,” she said quietly, and she felt the girl’s energy tense up. 

“How d’you know?” The girl’s tone was sharp, eyes narrowed.

Brooke smirked, “I can smell fear.” 

“I’m not scared.”

She was, Brooke felt it. She asked the smaller girl her name, even though she already knew it.  _ Vanessa. _ It was a name she’d never forget. It wasn’t always her name though. She had a different one… _ then.  _

“Well, Vanessa, let’s get you to your first class shall we?”

Brooke tried to make Vanessa’s first day an easy one. She invited her to sit with her friends, and everyone was nice,  _ even  _ Detox! That was surprising to Brooke but made her happy. 

“So  _ you’re  _ the new girl.” Kameron said, “the buzz of the school.”

“Uh, yeah I am. People are talking about me?” 

Brooke felt the nervous energy radiating off of Vanessa. 

“You’re new and you’re pretty,” Nina said with a wink, “of course they are.”

Brooke felt her face heat up as she straightened her posture and she gave Nina a pointed look. Nina raises an eyebrow back at her. Brooke gave a slight nod, one that you really had to be looking at her in order to catch.

_ This is her?  _ Nina cocked her head to the side. 

Brook gave another nod. 

_ Very interesting.  _ Nina had a knowing smirk on her face and Brooke just rolled her eyes. 

“ _ Anyways,  _ Vanessa….”

The rest of the day went smoothly, but when it was time for Brooke and Vanessa to go their separate ways, Brooke felt less than whole. She couldn’t wait for the following day.

“So you’re really sure?” Nina asked out of the blue in the car on the way home.

“Nina, you never saw her, but I need you to believe me. It’s her. I’ll see if there’s a photo of her in the attic.”

Nina pulled into the driveway and Brooke headed inside. She immediately dropped her bag by the door, said hello to her mom, and went to the attic, Nina in tow. 

She sifted through boxes and folders, finally coming across a tote marked  _ 1860’s.  _

“This is it,” Brooke said, pulling the lid off.

Right on top, just how she left it, was an old worn-out picture of two girls sitting under a tree. The blonde had her arm around the brunette, and both faces were smiling bright.

“Holy shit,” Nina said softly, “it really is her.” 

The blonde was Brooke, she hadn’t changed, she just wore her hair differently now. Instead of plaiting it, she had perfectly tamed curls. But Vanessa, or Isabela as her name used to be, sat there with the same, wide doe eyes and charming smile, unchanged. This just confirmed it. That was her girl. Now she just had to tell her without freaking her out. 

That was the dilemma, and Brooke wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to speak to her again. The whole thing was quite wild, a story for the movies, really. It was a time she would never forget, and it felt like yesterday. 

~*~

_ It was the summer of 1861 and Brooke was 18. She had been 18 for a while. Her family’s situation was…. _ complicated _ and they didn’t speak of it. But witches and vampires aren’t _ just _ for fairytales.  _

_ When Brooke met Isabela, there was an undeniable spark. Brooke was mesmerized, she had never felt this way about someone before. They became inseparable.  _

_ No, witches and vampires were real in their world, and they weren’t supposed to fall in love with each other. So when they did, they had to hide it from their covens. It could be dangerous for both girls in different ways. Brooke had to be careful. Isabela had magic in her veins, but she also had blood, and that meant that things could end dangerously. Isabela didn’t care. She knew in her heart that Brooke’s love for her was greater than her bloodlust. _

_ They had been sneaking around for a little over six months when they got caught. They were sitting in a tree near the river, it was a gentle spring day. They shared soft words of affirmation and sweet, short kisses. Out of nowhere, an arrow flies upwards past them. It was a narrow miss, almost hitting Isabela. Brooke looks down and sees her brother, Benjamin, glaring up at her. She freezes.  _ Shit _. This is what they were trying to avoid.  _

_ “Brooke, what’s happenin’?” Isabela asks, “who is that?” _

_ “That’s my brother,” Brooke said quietly. _

_ Benjamin turned on his heels and took off towards Brooke’s family cottage on the other side of the village, and Brooke knew she was in big trouble. _


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do you realize the danger you’ve put us in?”
> 
> “Danger? What danger!? You’re afraid of Isabela?”
> 
> “Not her, her elders. You’ve heard us talk about the Mateo’s? The ones with the most powerful magic in the world?”
> 
> “But that’s not- she’s not-! She’d never hurt me, father! She loves me, and I love her!”

Brooke didn’t know how to approach the subject with Vanessa about their past. She didn’t know how the other girl would take the news, and she really didn’t want to lose her again. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She was stressed, and people were starting to notice.

“If you keep making that face, it’s going to become permanent,” Nina said on the way to school a few days after they found the picture.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brooke replied blandly, not taking her eyes off of the road. 

“Yes you do, Brooke. Listen, I know that you’ve got a lot on your mind right now. Maybe you should talk to her. You should show her the picture. Your mom and dad are going away for the weekend, maybe you should just tell her then. Invite her over.”

Brooke thinks for a minute, the thought of Vanessa learning the truth stirring butterflies in her stomach. 

“I might, actually. That’s a good idea, Nina.”

“Yeah, I have those sometimes!” Nina smiled, pleased with herself, while Brooke just rolled her eyes.

Brooke pulled into a spot in the school parking lot. Her chest filled with warmth when she realized that she was parked right next to Vanessa, who looked at her and smiled her brightest smile that Brooke couldn’t help but return. 

Brooke had occupied Vanessa’s thoughts more than she wanted to admit. It was safe to say that Vanessa  _ really  _ liked Brooke. It wasn’t even like they had known each other that long, but whenever she saw Brooke, her heart skipped and she couldn’t help but smile. She felt like she had known Brooke her whole life. 

“Hey B, hey Nina!” Vanessa got out of her car, the day was already getting off to a good start. 

“Hey Ness,” Brooke said softly, Nina acknowledged Vanessa with a wave and a kind smile.

“Happy Friday!” Vanessa says loudly, causing students around them to look at her, but she didn’t care. 

Neither did Brooke, she thought it was charming. She thought everything about Vanessa was charming. 

“Listen,” Brooke starts, “I want you to come to stay with me this weekend. My parents are leaving tonight, and I’ll have the house to myself. I normally have Nina, but she’s going to visit her mom for a few days in Ohio. Plus it’s a holiday weekend and you can stay until Monday!” 

Vanessa thought about it for a minute, she was going to be home alone as well so it worked out.

“Sure!” she smiled, “I’d like that.”

Just like that, Brooke’s world got a whole lot brighter.

~*~

“So this is the living room,” Brook said, walking in the front door of her house. 

They had suffered a long day, excitement building as the day went on.

“So  _ this  _ is what a living room looks like.” Vanessa’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

Brooke let out a loud laugh, “smart ass.”

Vanessa shrugged and smiled, “yeah, what ‘bout it?”

Brooke rolled her eyes, “come on, I’ll show you my room.”

Brooke led Vanessa up the stairs and down the hall to her room. 

“It’s not much, and it’s kind of a mess, so don’t hold it against me.”

Vanessa walked into the room and it was honest perfection. 

“This what you call a mess?” Vanessa was bewildered, “my closet is messier than this, Mary.”

Brooke’s face turned red, she looked down at her feet.

“It’s perfect, B,” Vanessa says softly.

A smile spread across Brooke’s face, and Vanessa thinks it’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen. The energy radiating off of Vanessa is something that she’s felt before,  _ back then.  _ It simulated attraction. Vanessa was attracted to her. 

Something about the moment felt right and Brooke leaned forward, placing a hand softly on Vanessa’s cheek. Vanessa stared into her eyes. They leaned toward each other, lips inches apart when Brooke jumped back, breaking the trance. 

“Shit!” she said.

“What? What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?” Vanessa panicked.

“No, not at all, my parents are here.”

“I thought you said they were away for the weekend?!” 

“They are supposed to be! They must have forgotten something!”

Brooke was panicking, she remembered how her parents felt about Isabela, and there was no doubt that they would absolutely remember her. This wasn’t going to end well. Vanessa was human now, subjecting her to a house of vampires who needed to hunt was not a good idea.

“You need to go. I’m sorry.” The apology was written all over Brooke’s face, “you can come back later! I promise.” 

Brooke walked Vanessa toward the door but was stopped at the foot of the stairs by none other than her parents.

“Well, hello,” her mother said, face unreadable.

“Hi mother, my friend was just leaving.”

Something flashed across Brooke’s mom’s face, realization? Maybe. She narrowed her eyes. 

“What is she doing here, Brooke?” 

“She’s my friend, she’s new to the school and we are hanging out.”

Graphic thoughts raced through her mom’s head and Brooke picked up on it. She had to get Vanessa out of there  _ now. _

“She’s leaving mom, she’s leaving now.” Brooke ushered Vanessa to the door and whispered “go home and stay there, don’t come back until I tell you to.” 

Vanessa nodded and took off out the door, ran to her car, and drove until she was safe in her driveway.

~*~

_ “Brooke, what were you thinking?” her father scolded. _

_ Her brother Benjamin had rushed back to their cottage and told her parents about what he had seen. Brooke was in trouble the moment she got inside.  _

_ “Do you realize the danger you’ve put us in?” _

_ “Danger? What danger!? You’re afraid of Isabela?” _

_ “Not her, her elders. You’ve heard us talk about the Mateo’s? The ones with the most powerful magic in the world?” _

_ “But that’s not- she’s not-! She’d never hurt me, father! She loves me, and I love her!” _

_ “Does she know about our heritage?” _

_ “Of course she does!” Brooke couldn’t keep that from her. _

_ Angry energy washed around Brooke and her father, she cowered in response. _

_ “You’re never to see her again!” _

_ “You can’t do that! I’m an adult!”  _

_ “You live under our roof!” her father bellowed, “those are the rules! You  _ will  _ follow them!” _

_ Tears stung Brooke’s eyes, she could never see Isabela again. If she still had a heart, it would break. _


	4. One step closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I love you.” she manages, “I love you, and I’ll find you again, don’t you worry.”
> 
> “Isabela, don’t, we can get you help!”
> 
> Isabela shakes her head, “it ain’t gonna do any good, Brooke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to rvclary for being the best beta <3 and putting up with me lol.
> 
> possible TW: Death

"Mom what are you doing back?" 

"Your father had a-  _ feeling  _ that you were going to do something not so smart, and he was right. So I'm glad we did. Brooke Lynn what were you thinking?! Why did you bring  _ that girl  _ here?"

"Mother, we are friends. She's new here. I just wanted to make her feel welcome."

"Brooke, do I look stupid? Do you think I can't see who that was? It may have been 200 years, but I still remember that girl."

"Her name is Vanessa." Brooke corrected.

"I thought it was Isabela."

"That was her name  _ then. _ You know, before you allowed Benjamin-"

"Stop right there, Brooke Lynn, we didn't allow Benjamin to do anything and you know it!"

"Who did then? You didn't stop him!" Brooke was furious, "you let him-"

"Elaine," Brooke's father's voice rang through the foyer, "I saw the girl leave. Are you coming?"

Brooke’s mother stared at her for a moment, then nodded and turned around to leave. 

"You're not to see her again."

"Mom that's ridiculous! We go to school together!"

"You heard me." Her mother left, shutting the door behind her. 

Brooke ran upstairs, grabbed her phone, and dialed Vanessa's number.

"Are you home safe?" She asked as soon as the other girl answered.

"I- yes, I am. Brooke, what's goin on?"

Brooke didn't know how to answer Vanessa's question. 

"I can't talk about it. Not right now. Will you come back?"

"I dunno, B, I'm real confused right now."

"I know you are, and you’ll get an explanation soon. Please come back over." Brooke pleaded.

Vanessa thought for a minute, “not tonight, B, I’m just too afraid they’ll come back and the whole thing is real confusing. You actin’ like you momma was gonna hurt me or somethin’ like that.”

_ Something like that….  _ Brooke thinks to herself. 

“Listen, I’ll come back tomorrow, and tonight, we can video chat if you want.”

This cheered Brooke up. They had started video chatting in the evenings a week or two ago and Brooke loved it. Brooke pressed the little icon to turn the phone call into a video chat and got comfortable in bed. 

The girls talk about random stuff, and that turned into just looking at each other, and the next thing Brooke knew, Vanessa snoring softly, indicating that she was fast asleep.

~*~

Brooke paced in the living room. She had just gotten the text that Vanessa was on her way, and she had butterflies. What’s going to happen? Should she tell her about their past now? Or should she tell her she can’t see her anymore? She doesn’t want a repeat of what happened last time. At the same time, though, she lost Vanessa once, she doesn't want to go through that again. Brooke was stuck.

The sound of a car in the driveway pulled Brooke from her thoughts. She smiled when she saw Vanessa step out of her car. She looked deliciously tan in her white shorts and a red shirt. The California sun was really doing great things for her. At that moment, Brooke made the decision. She had to tell Vanessa. Today. If she told her, then she would understand everything. If she didn’t believe her, and it made her angry, then maybe she’d never speak to Brooke again, which would make her safe from Brooke’s parents. 

“Hi V,” Brooke smiled, opening the door, “glad you made it.”

Vanessa smiled her megawatt smile, almost knocking Brooke off her feet. Brooke led her in the house and Vanessa seemed, understandably, anxious. 

“Do you want to sit?” Brooke asked.

Vanessa shook her head. “I wanna know why things were so…..strange yesterday, B.”

Vanessa was serious, Brooke knew that. 

Brooke takes a deep breath and holds her hand out, “can I show you something?”

Vanessa nods and takes Brooke’s hand confidently. Brooke leads Vanessa up the stairs to the second floor, down the hall, and up the stairs to the attic. The attic was filled with collections of things they’ve acquired over the years. It was pretty full. There was only one box she was on a mission for, though. The box that held the truth. 

“Okay, here it is.” 

Vanessa stared curiously at the  _ “1860’s”  _ written boldly on the box. 

_ This bouta be some  _ old  _ shit.  _ Vanessa thinks to herself. 

“I need you to have an open mind and I need you to give me a chance to explain.”

Vanessa nods, anxiety curling in her stomach. 

Brooke takes a deep breath and opens the box. Before Vanessa could get a good look at it, Brooke got what she needed and closed the lid again. It was a picture, Vanessa could tell that much. Brooke hands it to Vanessa with shaky hands. Vanessa takes it and stares, looking at the familiar faces. Her breath catches in her throat while a hundred emotions run through her, the top one being confusion. 

There were two girls, one looked like Brooke, and the other looked like-

“B, she looks like me. Why does she look like me?”

Brooke out the breath she didn’t know she was holding and nodded.

“Because it  _ is  _ you.”

~*~

_ Isabela laid in her bed. She listened to the rain as it  _ tap tap tapped  _ on the window. Except it wasn’t rain, it was Brooke. _

_ “C’mon, Isabela.” Brooke muttered, “wake up!” _

_ Brooke shook her head, it wasn’t that late, Isabela shouldn’t be asleep yet. She kept throwing the rocks up until Isabela appeared at the window.  _

_ “Brooke Lynn!” Isabela squealed as softly as she could, “what are you doing here?” _

_ “I had to see you! Please come down here.” _

_ Isabela nods and disappears, only to appear downstairs pulling on her overcoat. She runs into Brooke’s arms, sighing with content when Brooke catches her and holds her tightly. _

_ “Isabela, there’s a problem. I can’t see you anymore. My parents, they found out.” Brooke didn’t want to say the words, didn’t want them to be real.  _

_ “This must be a joke. You have to be joking, Brooke!” Isabel pulled back and looked up at the blonde girl.  _

_ “It’s not- I’m not.” The sadness in Brooke’s eyes told the truth, “I’m sorry. I came here so I could say goodbye.”  _

_ Isabela holds the other girl tightly, “let’s run away together.” she says softly. _

_ “We can’t do that, they’ll find us.”  _

_ Isabela knows that she doesn’t care.  _

_ She looks up at Brooke, pouting in a way that makes Brooke just want to kiss her. So she leans forward, staring into the eyes of the woman she loves. As their lips are about to meet, Brooke hears some rustling behind Isabela, but it’s too dark to see. There’s a  _ whoosh  _ sound followed by a loud scream from Isabela. Brooke looks around, unsure what happened, only to see an arrow sticking out of Isabela’s side. To Brooke, it looks like it’s in Isabela’s lung, and from the gasping for air that Isabela’s doing, Brooke knows she’s right.  _

_ She lays Isabela down on the ground, the smaller girl remaining quiet. _

This is it.  _ She says to herself,  _ I’m dying. 

_ Isabela isn’t sure that Brooke is paying attention, so she musters all of her strength and places a hand on Brooke’s cheek, coming in contact with tears that started to spill from her eyes.  _

_ “I love you.” she manages, “I love you, and I’ll find you again, don’t you worry.” _

_ “Isabela, don’t, we can get you help!” _

_ Isabela shakes her head, “it ain’t gonna do any good, Brooke.” _

_ She was dying, they both knew it. So Brooke held her, stroked her hair, and pressed kiss after kiss to her forehead. _

_ “I love you too, Isabela.” Brooke whispered, and as if that’s what she was waiting for, Isabela’s body relaxed, and her eyes fluttered closed.  _

_ The love of her life just died right in front of her, and she was ready to kill whoever had done it. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and rage filled her body when she saw who stood there the bow that shot the arrow; the arrow that killed her love. _

_ Benjamin. _


	5. We were lovers in a past life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have questions.” Vanessa said.
> 
> “Go ahead.” Brooke felt the energy shift, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was shifting too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was not beta read. Sorry if there are mistakes.  
> I hope this ending is sufficient!

_ “Benjamin, how could you?!” Brooke screamed through her tears. _

_ “I didn’t have a choice!” Benjamin screamed back.  _

_ “You didn’t- of  _ course  _ you had a choice! You killed her!” _

_ “You’re right, I did have a choice, and I’d do it again.” Benjamin said, his eyes dark. _

_ Brooke pulled out the knife she kept in her boot and bared her fangs as she rushed towards Benjamin, pinning him against a nearby tree. _

_ “Tell me right now why I shouldn’t kill you.” _

_ “You wouldn’t kill your own brother.” Benjamin seems confident in his words. _

_ “No? Watch me.” Brooke spits.  _

_ Benjamin’s eyes widen with realization. She was serious. She knocked the bow from his hands and laughed darkly. _

_ “Not so tough now, are you?” She snarled. _

_ She held the knife pointing where his heart would be. _

_ “Give me one good reason right now why I shouldn’t do it, Benjamin.” _

_ “I’m sorry.” He said softly, “I’m sorry, Brooke.” _

_ Brooke relaxes slightly, but not lowering her knife. Her mind flashed back to Isabela’s body a few feet away and her anger flared up once more. _

_ “Brooke Lynn!” called a voice from behind her.  _

_ It was her father.  _

_ “Brooke Lynn, drop your knife.” His tone was commanding, “now.” _

_ She had to listen, and she lowered the knife feeling defeated. She fell to her knees, body shaking with suppressed sobs. This was nobody’s fault but hers. _

_ “Such a shame,” her father said with mock sympathy, looking down at Isabela’s body, “so young, so pretty.” He paused for a minute, “well done Benjamin.” _

_ ~*~ _

“Brooke, I don’t understand.” Vanessa said, “what you mean that’s me?”

“It is you, and that,” she points to herself, “and that’s me.”

“That’s impossible.” 

It couldn’t be. This photo was 160 years old, and Brooke and Vanessa were only 18. Well, Vanessa was only 18. Brooke had to be 18 too, right?

“It might seem that way, but you have to let me explain.”

Vanessa isn’t sure she can, the whole thing is just insane.

“This is you, but it’s you from a past life. Your name was Isabela back then.”

A cold chill traveled through Vanessa’s body. 

“Isabela?” she asked and Brooke nodded, “that’s my middle name.”

“The girl in the picture is Isabela Mateo, and you are Vanessa Isabela Mateo.” Brooke points out.

“I have questions.” Vanessa said.

“Go ahead.” Brooke felt the energy shift, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was shifting too.

“What happened to me? How old are you?”

“I’m 18….and I’ve been 18 for 200 years. As for what’s happened to you, my brother shot an arrow at you, punctured your lung.” Vanessa furrowed her brow as Brooke spoke, “we weren’t supposed to be together, I was telling you that I couldn’t see you anymore. It was my fault. It was all my fault.”

“How do I know you ain’t fuckin’ with me, B?”

“You have a birthmark on your left side, kind of close to your back.” 

It wasn’t a question, and Brooke definitely felt the energy shift to understanding. 

“What happened to your brother?”

Brooke hesitates, “a month after he did that, I killed him. I told him I would do it. My parents were angry at me for a long time, but my grief and anger at him was stronger than my will to leave him unharmed.”

Vanessa is shocked at first. Brooke killed her own brother, but her brother killed the love of her life. This was all just a lot.

“So what kind of... _ creature?  _ That doesn’t sound right. What  _ are  _ you?”

“I know what you mean, baby.”

Brooke released her fangs, and grinned, showing them to Vanessa.

“Those are….those are fangs. Are they real?”

Brooke nodded, “the fangs are real.”

“So you’re a, what? A vampire?”

Brooke nodded again. Vanessa’s head was spinning. 

“What was I?” Vanessa asked, “was I anything special?”

“Baby, you were definitely special.” Brooke winks, “but yes, you had magic in your blood.”

_ Magic.  _

“Is that why we wasn’t allowed to be together?” 

“Yeah, that’s why.”

“This whole thing has my mind in overdrive, B.”   
“I know, I can feel it.”

“Feel it? The fuck you mean you can ‘feel it’?”

“I can sense energies. Which is why I knew you were scared on the first day, even though you told me that you weren’t. I told you I could smell fear.” Brooke shrugs.

Vanessa shook her head and they sat in comfortable silence for a moment.

“That’s why you told me to leave. Your mother. Was she gonna hurt me?”

Brooke looks down, “yeah, she was if you hadn’t left.”

The whole situation is crazy to Vanessa, and she shouldn’t believe it. But she does. 

“I felt like I  _ knew  _ you.” She thinks out loud, “like we were old friends. If this were anybody else, I’d run for the hills, but I just felt like I knew you.”

“We’re more than just old friends, V, we’re soulmates. That’s how we found our way back to each other again.”

Vanessa leans forward and does something that she’s wanted to do for weeks: presses a soft kiss to Brooke’s lips. The soft kiss turned into a longer one, only stopping when Vanessa pulled back.

“So I’m human now?”

Brooke nods.   
“Okay, well, I don’t wanna be,” Vanessa takes a deep breath, “bite me.”

“What?” Brooke wants to be sure she heard correctly.

“I want you to bite me, change me, make me like you. I don’t wanna take a chance of bein’ taken away from you again, and I wanna live the rest of forever with you. The thought of bein’ without you makes me hurt, Brooke, it really does. I feel complete now. With you. Please. Bite me.”

Brooke freezes, she hasn’t bitten a human in a  _ very  _ long time.

“Are you sure?” 

Vanessa nods, she’s so sure.

“Right now?” 

Vanessa nods again, “I don’t want to waste another day.”

The room energy changes again to confidence, and the energy radiating off of Vanessa was new, it was warm. It was  _ love. _

As Brooke leaned forward, preparing to pierce Vanessa’s flawless skin, all she could think about was the life they had ahead of them, and for that, this was worth it.


End file.
